Romeo + Juliet (2001)

This production also toured in 2004 and 2008.

Based on the play by William Shakespeare

Music: Hector Berlioz

Choreography: DariusJames

Costume Design: Yvonne Greenleaf

The Story

Act One

A long-standing feud between the Montague and Capulet families continues to disrupt the peace of Verona. A brawl between the feuding households prompts the Prince to threaten both sides to keep the peace on pain of death.

Benvolio advises his lovesick friend Romeo, to abandon his unrequited love for Rosaline and seek another.

That night, Lord Capulet holds a masked ball to encourage a courtship between his daughter, Juliet, and Paris, a relative of the Prince.

Concealing their identities behind masks, Romeo, Mercutio and Benvolio go to the ball, where Romeo and Juliet fall in love at first sight, but at the end of the evening they discover their identities as members of the opposed families. On his way home from the feast, Romeo climbs into Capulet’s orchard to glimpse Juliet again. Juliet appears at her balcony, and the couple exchange vows of love, agreeing to marry the next day.

Romeo asks Friar Laurence to perform the marriage ceremony. Though initially reluctant, he finally agrees, hoping it will reconcile the families, and marries Romeo and Juliet that afternoon.

Meanwhile, Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin, sends Romeo a challenge to a duel. Romeo refuses to fight when Tybalt confronts him because they are now related. However, Mercutio, Romeo’s quick-tempered friend, intervenes and accepts the challenge. Romeo tries to part the two as they fight, but Mercutio is fatally wounded under Romeo’s arm. To avenge Mercutio’s death, Romeo kills Tybalt and then flees.

Act Two

he Prince announces Romeo’s banishment for Tybalt’s murder. Romeo, hiding at the Friar’s cell, becomes hysterical at the news of his sentence and tries to kill himself, but the Friar promises to make Romeo’s marriage to Juliet public and gain the Prince’s pardon. Romeo and Juliet celebrate their wedding night before he leaves at dawn for Mantua.

That morning, Juliet discovers that her father has arranged for her to marry Paris. The Capulets, unaware that Juliet is grieving for Romeo’s exile rather than Tybalt’s death, believe the wedding will distract her from mourning. Distressed at the prospect of a false marriage and isolated from her family, Juliet seeks advice from Friar Laurence, who offers her a sleeping potion to make her appear dead for 42 hours. During this time, the Friar will send a message to Romeo in Mantua so that Romeo can return to Verona in time for Juliet to awake.

Juliet returns home and agrees to marry Paris. In a moment of euphoria, Lord Capulet brings the wedding forward, thereby forcing Juliet to take the potion that night and reducing the time for the message to reach Romeo.

Juliet’s seemingly lifeless body is discovered and she is placed in the family tomb. Because an outbreak of the plague prevents the Friar’s messenger from leaving Verona, Romeo now receives news of Juliet’s death instead. Desperate, Romeo buys poison from an apothecary and returns to Verona.

Late that night, Romeo enters the Capulet tomb, but is confronted by Paris, whom he fights and kills.

Still unaware that Juliet is in fact alive, Romeo takes the poison and dies. Juliet awakes, and finding Romeo dead she stabs herself with Romeo’s dagger.

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